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John K.

John K.

Joined on 02/09/07

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Product Reviews
product reviews
  • 2
Most Favorable Review

Good motherboard for Thunderbolt

ASUS P8Z77-V PRO/THUNDERBOLT LGA 1155 Intel Z77 HDMI SATA 6Gb/s USB 3.0 ATX Intel Motherboard
ASUS P8Z77-V PRO/THUNDERBOLT LGA 1155 Intel Z77 HDMI SATA 6Gb/s USB 3.0 ATX Intel Motherboard

Pros: I've had this running in a machine for the last six months. I've been pretty satisfied. I really like having USB 3.0 and Thunderbolt (I bought this motherboard specifically because of its Thunderbolt support).

Cons: Thunderbolt didn't work correctly with the BIOS the mobo was shipped with. I had to update the BIOS in order to get it working correctly. The way in which Thunderbolt interacts with PCIe lane assignments isn't well documented.

Most Critical Review

Unimpressed

Athena Power RM-2U2345FS60 Black 1.2mm Steel 2U Rackmount Server Case W/ V2.91 P4 EPS-12V 600W
Athena Power RM-2U2345FS60 Black 1.2mm Steel 2U Rackmount Server Case W/ V2.91 P4 EPS-12V 600W

Pros: I purchased this primarily because it was one of the few relatively shallow 2U cases that could support an ATX board.

Cons: This case will _not_ actually support an ATX board if the supplied power supply is installed. I had to purchase a different 2U form factor power supply and replace it. There is really no excuse for them shipping this with this power supply. The fit and finish of the case left a lot to be desired. It didn't come with any hardware; I had to supply my own offsets and motherboard screws. The drilled holes for the offsets were poor quality, in general the sheet metal seems cheap and the build quality mediocre. Interior space management was poor. As it ships, you can get two peripherals into the box. The front panel wiring is poorly marked. The included fan is cheap, loud, and doesn't support fan control.

Overall Review: I might still buy this case in the future, but I certainly wouldn't get it with the power supply. I'm still looking for a decent-quality 2U rack chassis.